Vampires in Zion?

Not that Zion, the national park. Having finished C. David Belt's book The Unwilling, I thought, hey, if there are vampires running around Utah in the north, they might be Hunting down in southern Utah as well.

But, even thought I kept a keen eye on the passersby, none seemed to be of vampiric ilk. There were incredible trails, stunning scenery and some serious physical exertion involved in my research into Zion's possible blood sucking population. Not even a mosquito. Just as well.

I did enjoy The Unwilling. Belt's vampires were more realistic than many recent renditions of the type. I found his characters heroic, horrible, flawed, murderous, compassionate (a vampire?) and endowed with personality. I was pleasantly shocked that Belt had...(nope, not gonna say that, it would give away too much of the story)

I found his treatment of a vampire in Utah in conjunction with the predominant religion in the state complex and intriguing, though at times references to certain church-specific ideas tended to set The Unwilling as LDS fiction. He handled the conflict between being a good vampire and a good Mormon with dexterity and aplomb, especially when he...(again, don't want to spoil the story for future readers, but I think you will find it intriguing).

I don't know if Belt is a former military pilot, but if not, he did some extensive research into military flying and it thunders through his writing. The Unwilling was a sad, exciting, romantic, energetic, intrigue-filled fun flight of fantasy into the experience of an unwilling vampire's adventures. The only one in six-thousand years.

 

Almost forgot, although I didn't detect any vampires in Zion, there are plenty of places for them to hide during the day, and the squirrels might just be taste testers for them. No, I didn't find out firsthand, but if you go to the park, don't let your children touch the furry little rodents.

Of Hawks, Chickens and squirrels

I like the hawks. (Their flight reminds me of C. David Belt's vampires.) For the second year their family (the hawks, not David's) has chosen our massive cottonwood for a nest. They are smaller than my chickens, so I don't think they are much of a threat. That, and I've enclosed my run with steel fencing and netting so the hawks would have to open a gate to get in.

On the other hand - ground squirrel(s)!

Last year chipmunks ravaged my garden. This year it's a ground squirrel. It's smarter, bigger, eats more, goes under, around, and through my fencing and netting, and is just plain obnoxious they way it sits on top of my grow box, flashes squirrel signs, and brags to all its friends about eating my lettuce and chard.

I don't expect much from the hawks in residence - don't attack my chickens - don't drop your babies out of the nest again this year and...EAT THE GROUND SQUIRREL!

I don't think it's too much to ask for rental space in my tree. It's not like they aren't going to go out and hunt the surrounding area for just such a tasty meal as a squirrel. And here, like fast food on the corner, right under their tree, is a meal waiting to happen. Maybe the hawks are just waiting for the little bugger to fatten up on all my garden produce before they take him home for dinner.


Come on hawks, just fly on down and snatch that evil garden devil away. Just like a vampire, but not the one with a conscience, like the other vampires in C. David Belt's book Unwilling. Which by the way, I am enjoying when I'm not writing, or playing Caddy Shack in the garden.

Ever notice devil is evil with a "d" on the front end? I suppose evil is also a "d"-less devil too.